Harry Potter and the Paladins of Fate
by The Archer
Summary: Harry and his friends are forced to return to Hogwarts for thier seventh year by a threat the Order has placed on them. Mysterious strangers pass into their lives. Strangers who have an even darker fate than any living being could imagine or want.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own anything in this except new characters and plots

Dumbledore's funeral had been almost three months ago. Harry had been staying at The Burrow with Ron and his family while Hermione left for her parents' house, to visit for a while before returning. She kept postponing her return to them. Harry understood, she needed more time with her parents.

Harry held firm in his decision to find the Horcruxes and kill Voldemort, regardless of Mrs. Weasley's having forbidden it. She was glancing at him rather sullenly when several resounding cracks broke the early morning silence as Mr Weasley, Remus Lupin, Alastor Moody, and an unknown man Apparated into the kitchen.

The mysterious man, who seemed both very young and very old in comparison to his traveling companions looked thunderously angry. Harry had never seen a man whose presence was so intimidating, overpowering and yet strangely comforting. The stranger wore a deep green woolen cloak over what appeared to be breeches and high boots. He was almost six and a half feet and his skin was deeply tanned, as if he had been living in a desert. His hair was dark and his eyes were so light they seemed to glow silver.

The stranger suddenly spoke, startling Harry " Why is she doing this?" he growled in a deep voice as he slammed his fist on the Weasley's thick wooden table, causing it to creak under the force of his blow. Lupin slowly sat beside him and the others followed suit, Mrs Weasley forgetting Harry's presence in the room in the presence of this enigmatic man. " I have already said that if you can't catch her than she doesn't want to be caught. My understanding is that we must wait until she comes to us." Lupin replied in an attempt to alleviate the mystery man's obvious anger, his voice holding an odd inflection, worry?

The stranger growled deep in his throat, " It is true. She will come when it damn well pleases her. She is aware of Albus' death. She just refuses to heed my call. Insufferable witch as usual."

Moody suddenly laughed low to himself, a sound that startled everyone in the room. He realized he was being stared at in the complete silence of the room as if everyone was holding their breath to see what would happen next. But why did they seem so nervous about a little, muffled laugh? Moody immediately straightened up, " Well it's just that if she were just a witch she'd be a damn sight easier to catch."

The man spoke, breaking the tension . "I wasn't using the term in it's magical sense. It is true she is no ordinary witch. No she is much more powerful. Nothing has changed in the past..." The dark man looked directly at Harry as if suddenly realizing they were being watched. " Who is this?" he demanded of the group standing so swiftly Harry almost missed it. Mrs Weasley seemed startled, clearly having forgotten that Harry was in the room. Before she could speak Harry felt suddenly emboldened, as if a magnet was attracting him to this demanding stranger. He practically vaulted from his seat and across the room to the table where the stranger had come to his feet.

" Potter. Harry Potter." Harry said his name and stuck out his hand stiffly before he had a chance to think about it. The man smiled in a slightly condescending way, further irritating Harry. He then looked down at Harry's proffered hand as if confused for a moment. Harry was instantly offended and began to pull his hand away. Suddenly the man's hand shot out unbeleivably fast and grasped Harry's retreating hand firmly.

Harry's vision snapped back to the man's face whose smile was now considerably warm, although the same could not be said for his nearly frigid hand.

" I apologize if I offended you, I haven't shaken a hand in a good many years." Harry thought that was strange considering the man could be, at the oldest twenty-six. Harry was about to make such a comment when he realized his hand was going numb. The man realized Harry was looking at their clasped hands and immediately withdrew his. Harry swore he saw ice on his own hand. " Once again I offer my apologies, we have been outside, where it is quite cold." Humor dancing in the stranger's light eyes.

Harry glanced around and noticed the other men looking rather warily from him to the stranger and back when Mrs Weasley stepped forward toward Harry. " Harry dear, why don't you go on and wake the others for breakfast." Harry almost ignored the request when he noticed Mrs. Weasley's pleading look. He changed his mind and as he obediently began to go up the steep stairwell he heard Mrs. Weasley speak softly to the stranger, something about when a new arrival would come. Harry was scaling the stairs when Remus cleared his throat loudly.

Once up the stairs , knocking on all the doors loudly until he got to the top and burst into the room he was sharing with Ron. Ron was so shocked by the dramatic entrance and the sound of his door rebounding off of the wall that he fell out of bed, tangled in his sheets.

" Wutchya doin' Harry?!" Ron stood, clearly upset and Harry laughed at the scene in front of him. In the near dark of the room Ron looked like some giant mummy wrapped in those sheets. Harry stifled his laugh as he threw Ron some clothes, " Hurry up, there's this... man downstairs." The word man to describe the stranger tasted odd on Harry's tongue," He came with your dad, Remus, and Moody. You've got to see him. He's huge!" Ron mumbled something about having seen a lot of tall men before, Hagrid came to mind. "And your mum said something about a new arrival. " Ron shoved his legs roughly into his trousers and mumbled, " Do you think it'll be another stranger or someone we know?" Harry shook his head.

"I don't know, it could be. But if they have something to do with this stranger they'll be a puzzle. "

Two minutes later the two boys were rushing downstairs in their usual galloping fashion when Harry came to a sudden stop at the bottom. The only people there were Mr and Mrs Weasley and Ginny , the source of his constant guilt and even more constant admiration. Ron slapped Harry on the back, " Where's Moody and Lupin and your mystery man?"

"RON!" Everyone in the room seemed shocked when Mr Weasley yelled at Ron for no apparent reason. His anger quickly dissipated and he cleared his throat, " Our guests have left. Why don't you boys sit down, I was just telling Ginny something you should hear."

The two boys quickly took seats on the opposite end of the table, as far away from the strangely acting patriarch as possible. Harry's seating problem was compounded by sitting as far away from both Mr Weasley and Ginny as possible. Harry finally found a seat near the warm stove. "As you know many of the Ministry's employees are being sent all over the world to work against V-V-Voldemort. Some old friends from Hogwarts, a married couple, are both being sent away. So your mother and I have offered to take their son in for the rest of the summer and settle him at Hogwarts."

" Cool, we could use a breath of fresh air. Who is it Dad? Seamus? Dean?"

Mr Weasley shook his head slowly. " No Ron. He has never attended Hogwarts before. His parents work at the Ministry in Morocco but they now feel the safest place for their son is Hogwarts." Mr Weasley stood and looked at his muggle watch. " Ahh. He should be arriving anytime." Ron leaned over to Harry," Funny time to arrive, isn't it? It's before breakfast!"

Harry nodded in agreement just as there was a knock on the door. Mr Weasley straightened his robes and reached for the door.

" Welcome to our home. Please come in."

A tall, hooded boy walked in. He was about Ron's height, but not quite so thin, he seemed like he was an athlete of some kind. He murmured something in a deep rumbling voice and shook the rain off of his cloak. Had it been raining? Harry glanced out the window and noticed that it must have stopped. The boy turned after hanging his cloak and Harry heard gasps from Mrs Weasley and Ginny, the latter making him see red. He had a shock of dark gray hair and the blackest eyes Harry had ever seen. He seemed to be the same age as Harry and Ron.

"This is Sharif de Aodhan. He'll be staying with us for a bit." Mr Weasley motioned to a chair at the table." Until term starts at least." Mr Weasley seemed to be waiting some sort of reaction. Sharif strode forward, pulled out the chair and sat rather heavily, the chair creaking under his formidable weight. Unlike Ron and Harry's gangly, thin height Sharif seemed to have filled out already.

" I'm Ron Weasley" Ron leaned forward over the table and stuck out his pale hand. Sharif let out a sly grin and grabbed it swiftly. " It is good to meet you Ron Weasley." Harry couldn't recognize his strange accent, although it wasn't very heavy. He followed Ron's example and stuck his hand out.

" Harry..." he began.

" Potter. " Harry wasn't that surprised as Sharif grasped his hand, but there was something about him that seemed...off.

" I'm Ginny." Ginny said sweetly and fluttering her long eyelashes. Which made Harry sick to his stomach. Sharif's gaze swung to Ginny and looked at her appraisingly, his eyebrow raised. " In Morocco I don't run into many red-haired beauties as I'd like. Maybe my luck has changed." Ginny giggled and Harry saw red as Sharif kissed Ginnys' proffered hand.

Mrs Weasley interrupted, " Ginny dear, why don't you go get dressed for the day? Breakfast'll be ready when you get back down." She ushered Ginny to the stairs and gave Sharif a death glare. Sharif flashed an unbelievably white grin at her and then turned to Harry and Ron." So you have faced the Dark Lord? Voldemort?"

Harry and Ron choked on the orange juice Mrs Weasley had just conjured for them and the pair just nodded yes, their eyes watering. " He is formidable, no? I have heard this is so. I have not personally met the monster but I have heard tales of his great evil." Sharif paused thoughtfully, " I have also heard that he has tapped into old magicks. That was a dangerous thing many years ago. Now it is even more so. Ancient magick has little to channel itself through these days, the magi who used it are all but gone. I believe that it is even too strong for this devil, this sheytan."

" This what?" Ron asked. Harry had to admit , the way Sharif talked was unusual. Then again so was everything about him. It seemed everyone in the room was watching Sharif and he seemed completely oblivious.

" So Sharif, your mum and dad work for the Ministry?" Harry's voice broke the silence and seemed to startle everyone, including Sharif. Harry's question brought a slow grin to Sharif's face.

"Yes Harry Potter, that is so. They have much to do that is dangerous in Morocco. They felt it would be safer for me to be at Hogwarts, the legendary wizarding school where they met."

" But Hogwarts is so far from home isn't it?" Ginny had reappeared in what Harry noticed was a very flattering robe. She seemed to float towards the table and took a seat across from Sharif, never taking her glowing green eyes off of him.

Sharif turned to face Ginny." There is an English saying, 'Home is where the heart is.' Perhaps I will find my heart at Hogwarts." Ginny let out, in Harry's opinion, the most sickeningly sweet sigh he had ever heard. "Besides my new friends Harry and Ron will be there to make me feel welcome, no?"

Harry ripped his gaze from Ginny and straightened in his chair, "No. We are not returning to Hogwarts. We have spent the summer preparing and researching for our hunt. For Voldemort, the 'formidable ' one." Harry let the sarcasm drip freely from his voice but Gabriel raised a single brow," You are not returning?" he turned to Mrs Weasley and she moved in.

" It isn't definite. Mr Weasley and I have expressed our desire for Harry and Ron to return to school." She then looked firmly at Ron and then at Harry. Ron looked down at the table but Harry held her gaze firmly. Mrs Weasley returned his stiff gaze. " Anyway some friends will be coming in _order_ to decide what will be done." Harry and Ron got the message. The members of the Order of the Phoenix were coming to the Burrow to do some of their own persuading." And Hermione will be returning in a couple of hours. At Mrs Weasleys' mention of Hermione Ron immediately perked up.

"I must say that it is my hope that you will return to Hogwarts. I have a feeling we may find each other very useful." Harry raised an eyebrow." As friends of course."

"Riiiight." Ron grabbed Harry by the arm. " Harry and I are going to play a little Quidditch, sorry we don't have an extra broom." Ron bolted out the door dragging Harry behind. " So they're coming to convince us to go back."

"Yeah. I guess they are." Harry kicked the dirt around his worn sneakers, suspecting what was coming. " Harry they might be right. Hermione and I..."

"Hermione and you what?" Harry turned on Ron with anger in his eyes. Far from backing down Ron stood firm.

" We've been talking. We're with you Harry but you have to realize that we're a team. And you might be blinded by your hate and anger. The truth is we might not ready for this and another year at Hogwarts could help." Ron looked like he was about to be sick but he stood firm.

Harry inhaled heavily, " Ron I understand. Hunting for Snape and Voldemort is going to be really dangerous but we can't just..."

"It is going to be really dangerous Harry. And I think we should wait and see what the Order has to say." Ron and Harry turned to see a very grown up looking Hermione standing behind them. Forgetting their argument the pair ran to hug Hermione. "Oh how I've missed you two, but I don't think you know your own strength anymore because I can't breath." Harry and Ron let go, Ron noticeably more reluctantly which caused Hermione to blush.

"Alright let's get in, these bags aren't light you know." Taking the hint Harry and Ron grabbed her bags and they followed her into the Burrow. Hermione was only three feet in the door when she came to a sudden halt causing Harry and Ron to bump into her and fall with the weight of her bags dragging them down. Ron looked up in time to see Sharif kissing Hermiones' hand and see her giggle flirtatiously. Harry punched Ron, "Now you see how I feel."

Ron shook his red mane, "Twit." The pair pulled themselves up in time to see Hermione sit next to Sharif so that he was now sandwiched between her and Ginny. Ron rolled his eyes and sat down in a huff with Harry following.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I only own what Rowling does not.

The trio spent the next day avoiding the one topic of conversation that was on the front of their minds. None of them could talk about what was going to happen when September rolled around, to go back or to venture out into the world? Then, before dinner, the members of the Order began arriving, Lupin gazed balefully in their direction. Harry knew what was on his mind, this wasn't going to be a conversation, it was an intervention. It seemed like the question would be brought up by someone other than Harry, Ron, or Hermione. The three walked into the house when Mrs. Weasley bellowed for them, Harry couldn't keep himself from thinking 'Like walking to the gallows.'

As they walked into the Burrow Harry was surprised by the seating arrangement. Apparently members of the order had conjured chairs to sit on and the dining table had been moved. The chairs were arranged in a circle with three chairs open. Lupin sat on an old, faded green velvet chair with wooden legs, the chair directly across from the middle empty seat, the seat clearly meant for Harry. Harry had suspected that Lupin was now the new leader of the Order of the Phoenix. Tonks sat on his right side and the rest of the chairs were filled by Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Bill, Charlie, Mad-Eye and a double surprise in Professor McGonagall and uncharacteristically solemn-looking George. Fred was noticeably absent. Harry didn't realize how silent the room was until Ron pulled out his chair. Harry looked quickly at his friend and noticed Ron glance towards the right of the room, there he saw an even more surprising sight than the intimidating tribunal set before him. Sharif de Aodhan was standing in the corner of the room, observing. Harry looked at Hermione as she sat and saw the same confused expression he knew was on his face. Why was Sharif here?

Lupin cleared his voice and Harry reluctantly took his seat. " Harry, you know why we are here. We don't want you to feel attacked..."

" You're doing an amazing job at that." The entire room turned to the source of the sarcastic interruption with shock. Hermione looked a little shocked herself at her own brash comment but quickly recovered, her expression becoming equally self- satisfied and defiant.

Lupin continued, " That may well be but it is not our intent." He then turned his blue eyes on Hermione and it was clear she felt uncomfortable under the gaze of the new leader, Lupin was certainly rising to the occasion. No timidity in sight. " Let us drop this formality, we are all on the same side here and we want to conduct ourselves as the friends we are." Harry's attention was certainly centered on the werewolf now. He had expected the Order to hedge around the issue, to speak vaguely about responsibility and age. Lupin was getting to the point quickly and Harry felt himself worrying at the strategy. The trio had avoided discussing their doubts about going after the Horcruxes and Harry knew Lupin had sensed their indecision. He was afraid that if they were indeed divided, they would fall under the pressure the Order members were putting on them.

" We are here to talk about the decision you three have made to go after the Horcruxes instead of returning to Hogwarts." Lupin paused and looked each of them in the eye. " And because we all care about you three so much we have made the decision for you."

Three teenage heads snapped up in shock. Hermione began to protest and Harry smiled, Lupins division strategy had failed, he had fused the trio together more firmly by coming on so strongly. Before Hermione could burn through her apparent rage and form coherent protests Mrs. Weasley raised her hand to silence her.

" There will be no discussion, no debate. Our decision is final." Mrs. Weasley stood and glared at the trio with a strength in her eyes Harry had never witnessed from the kind, gentle woman. " I have been a mother to the three of you for six years. You have stayed in my home, eaten my food, and taken my unconditional love. Even if we were giving you a choice you should do as I ask." She ended that sentence with her eyes burning a hole into Rons' down turned head. He couldn't look at his mother as she sat down in her seat next to Mr. Weasley.

It was Mr. Weasley who spoke next, " We have decided that the three of you will attend Hogwarts for your final year, and you will finish it." The trio could only watch in silence as he continued, all protests buried by their shock at the situation. Mr. Weasley continued, " We have made this decision because we all love you. I happen to think of ALL of you as my children." Tears of frustration and appreciation welled in Harrys' eyes as he went on. " You will attend Hogwarts, but... you will be allowed to use your time to search for the Horcruxes. And if you find one you will immediatly contact one of us. Once you do the first available Order member will go WITH you to retrieve and destroy it." Harry felt a twinge of anger at the prospect. They had seen something like this coming but the Order was allowing them to do search for the Horcruxes. Still this was unacceptable.

" No." the word passed Rons' lips filled with a rage Harry had never seen his friend display. Ron looked at his father as if he had betrayed him. " If we have to be at the school we won't have the time to search for the Horcruxes, and that IS the plan. You don't want us to go after them." Mr. Weasley looked sad as his brown eyes met with Ron. It seemed in that moment Mr Weasley had lost something and Harry knew what it was. He had lost Ron, Ron was no longer a child in his fathers eyes.

It was Tonks that spoke next, her chameleon appearance was an average brown on brown. " You are right Ron. We want to keep you three as safe as possible. We can't risk losing you too." Who she was refering too was clear. " But we hold on this promise. We will let you search for and destroy the Horcruxes. "

At this Hermione snorted loudly, drawing the rooms attention again with her derision. " Let us? Let us?" she shook her curly brown hair in disbelief. " You can't LET us do anything. We are of age, we can do as we please. To be honest we could leave now." Harry found himself proud of his two friends. Here he had thought he was going to need to convince them when they weren't letting him get a word in edgewise in his defense!

Lupin rose from his chair, " Actually, we can." Hermiones' rage-filled gaze snapped to Lupin questioningly and with foreboding. "Hermione you are very bright. I'm sure you have heard of La Tortura Prima?"

Hermiones' shocked gasp was all the answer he needed. Harry looked at the Order members and noticed that they all looked a little ashamed for a moment. Hermione spoke, " You wouldn't. It's illegal."

Lupin gazed at her with sadness in his eyes. " But who would punish us? Who would dare come against US with Wizard Law Books at a time like this?" Hermiones' eyes widened as the truth of his words settled in her spinning mind.

" What is La Tortura Prima?" Harry used his voice for the first time and it felt odd to hear it in his head. Hermione turned to him as if to lecture him, but stopped herself. It was Ron who spoke.

" The First Torture, the Greatest Torture." Rons' heated, accusing gaze was turned on every Order member and stopped on George.

"This is why you're here alone? Fred wouldn't hear of it. That owl you ripped from Errol today was for me wasn't it? To warn me?" George faced his brothers accusation with a solemn countenance in confirmation.

" WHAT IS THE GREATEST TORTURE?" the words exploded from Harry's lungs before he realized he had been holding his breath.

George spoke, " The greatest torture for any magical being is exile. " Georges' features hardened with resolve." Complete exile from the magical world and you will be stripped of your powers. You will always know what you have lost but you will never be allowed to speak of it. Even your descendents will be barren of magic. It cannot be reversed."

Harry felt like his stomach was trying to jump out of his throat, as if he were about to die. How could these people who suddenly seemed like strangers even think about doing this to them? Such a cruel punishment seemed fit for only the very worst of criminals, it was a fate worse than death, worse even than a Dementors' Kiss. And as Harry looked at the Order he knew that they would do this thing. They would do it to save them.


End file.
